1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a display method and display control device for displaying, in accordance with a visual field from a set viewpoint, data objects situated in a three-dimensional virtual space.
2. Description of Related Art
Computers connected to networks, such as the Internet for example, are capable of retrieving massive amounts of diverse information. In addition, as the capacity of storage media increases, even stand-alone information machines have become able to utilize vast amounts of diverse information.
In order to make use of such large amounts of diverse information, GUIs (graphical user interfaces) that employ a desktop metaphor, such as Microsoft Windows(trademark) are being used, as are web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer(trademark) and Netscape Navigator(trademark). These applications display viewing target informational content arranged on a screen in a static and planar manner; and in order to view the informational-content items in turn, succeeding subject matter must be displayed by replacing the subject matter being displayed in the active window, or must be displayed by changing the active attribute of windows being displayed on the screen in an overlapping manner.
When a plurality of informational items is displayed by switching from one display to another, the sense of continuity on the screen is lost, leading to the problem of a user having trouble understanding how the individual contents are related to each other.
In order to solve such problems, an information display method has been proposed (Japanese Pat. App. No. 2001-162322 [filed May 30, 2001]; Laid-Open No. 2000-172248) wherein concatenatedly linked data objects are arranged in a three-dimensional virtual space, and based on a visual field defined in the virtual space, the data objects are displayed on a display screen; and wherein information can be perused by following along links while the display screen is changed uninterruptedly by changing the visual field smoothly.
A conventional technique of this sort will be explained using FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a conceptual view of a link structure of concatenatedly linked data objects, and FIG. 6 is example displays of the concatenatedly linked data objects.
In FIG. 5, data objects 102 and 103 are represented within data object 101 as links 112 and 113, respectively, and data objects 104 and 105 are represented within data object 102 as links 114 and 115, respectively. Data object 106 is represented within data object 104 as link 116.
In display example 301 at (A) in FIG. 6, data object 101 and data objects 102 and 103 linked to data object 101 are displayed.
When a shift-viewpoint instruction is accepted, the display range is changed according to the instruction, transitioning, for example, to the state shown in display example 302 at (B) in FIG. 6. In this display example 302, data object 101, data object 102 linked to data object 101, and data objects 104 and 105 linked to data object 102 are displayed.
When a further shift-viewpoint instruction is accepted, the state shown in display example 303 at (C) in FIG. 6 ensues. In this display example 303, data object 102, data object 104 linked to data object 102, and data object 106 linked to data object 104 are displayed.
When a further shift-viewpoint instruction is accepted, the state shown in display example 304 at (D) in FIG. 6 ensues. In this display example 304, data object 104 and data object 106 linked to data object 104 are displayed.
In display examples 301 through 304, the data object that occupies the largest area within the display screen is displayed in detail, and the preceding/following relationships of the data objects are set in correspondence with the link modes and displayed. The fact that the display within the field of view always changes smoothly in response to the shift-viewpoint instructions enables a user to follow the links and view the data objects.
The information display method described above readily enables viewing by following concatenatedly linked information, and enables remedying the problem of losing sight of the interrelationships among the informational-content items. However, this method does not take into consideration such matters as: displaying supplemental information in connection with displayed data objects; displaying information in more detail in connection with displayed data objects; providing means for dialogue with a user in situations where required; or executing application programs linked to the display of information and associated with that information.
The present invention offers a configuration that enables viewing a plurality of data objects situated in a virtual space as the visual field defined in the virtual space is changed smoothly; and that at the same time enables: supplemental information in connection with displayed data objects to be displayed; information in connection with displayed data objects to be displayed in more detail; means for dialogue with a user to be provided in situations where required; and application programs linked to the display of information and associated with that information to be executed.
A first aspect of the present invention is a data-object display method for situating a plurality of data objects within a three-dimensional virtual space in which a visual field is defined and displaying, from a set virtual viewpoint, data objects located within the visual field. The data-object display method includes: a step of accepting virtual-viewpoint location changes; a step of continuously changing the visual field based on the virtual-viewpoint location changes, and uninterruptedly changing the display of a data object located within the visual field; a step of distinguishing whether a data object located within the visual field satisfies predetermined geometric conditions for the visual field; and a step of executing, in respect of a data object satisfying the predetermined geometric conditions, a process preset in the data object.
In a second aspect, the invention is the data-object display method according to the first aspect, wherein the process preset in the data object displays a display image different from a virtual-space display image located within the visual field.
A third aspect is the data-object display method according to the second aspect, wherein the a separate image is displayed situated in front of the data object located within the visual field in the virtual space.
In a fourth aspect, the invention is the data-object display method according to the second aspect, wherein a separate image is displayed within a window different from a window in which the data object located within the visual field in the virtual space is displayed.
A fifth aspect of the invention is the data-object display method according to the second aspect, wherein a separate image is displayed within a frame different from, in an identical window with, a frame in which the data object located within the visual field in the virtual space is displayed.
In a sixth aspect, the invention is according to the second aspect, wherein at least one from among a message, a modal dialogue, a modeless dialogue or information related to the data object is displayed.
A seventh aspect of the invention is the data-object display method according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the process preset in the data object executes a preset application program.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is an information display device for situating a plurality of data objects within a three-dimensional virtual space in which a visual field is defined and displaying, from a set virtual viewpoint, data objects located within the visual field. The information display device in this aspect of the invention includes: visual-field-data updating means for accepting virtual-viewpoint location changes; object data processing means for continuously changing the visual field based on the virtual-viewpoint location changes, and uninterruptedly changing the display of a data object located within the visual field; process-execute-conditions judging means for distinguishing whether a data object located within the visual field satisfies predetermined geometric conditions for the visual field; and visual-field-shift-linked process-executing means for executing, in respect of a data object satisfying the predetermined geometric conditions, a process preset in the data object.
An ninth aspect of the present invention is an information display device for situating a plurality of data objects within a three-dimensional virtual space in which a visual field is defined and displaying on a display screen, from a set virtual viewpoint, data objects located within the visual field. The information display device herein includes: visual-field-data updating means for accepting virtual-viewpoint location changes; object data processing means for continuously changing the visual field based on the virtual-viewpoint location changes, and uninterruptedly changing the display of a data object located within the visual field; process-execute-conditions judging means for distinguishing whether or not there is a data object located in the display-screen center and occupying a proportion of the display screen that is a predetermined value or more; and visual-field-shift-linked process-executing means for executing a process preset in the data object, based on judgment results from said process-execute-conditions judging.
An tenth aspect of the present invention is an information display device for situating a plurality of data objects within a three-dimensional virtual space in which a visual field is defined and displaying, from a set virtual viewpoint, data objects located within the visual field. The information display device in the aspect of the present invention includes: visual-field-data updating means for accepting virtual-viewpoint location changes; object data processing means for continuously changing the visual field based on the virtual-viewpoint location changes, and uninterruptedly changing the display of a data object located within the visual field; and visual-field-shift-linked process-executing means for executing, if the distance of a data object located in the visual field from the virtual viewpoint becomes a predetermined value, a process preset in the data object.
From the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.